From Quarry to Castle
by Percyfan1998
Summary: Basically prodded to me to write by Twitter user LuctheMC, he basically has been a huge fan of the ship of MiLuke (Luke x Millie) and basically wanted me to write a story involving it. And so here it is, it's lighthearted BTW, not serious. Summary of story: Millie is bored of being confined to the Earl's estate, and too use to just only Luke visiting her. Can Luke help his friend?


Freaking end me.. This is going to earn me infamy, isn't it? It's not really a ship fic per se, but you can detect MiLuke themes in here, I guess.

 _From Quarry to Castle_

 _By David H._

Ulfstead Castle was a busy place, even after the hard work of Jack from the Pack, James, Thomas, and Percy, work to restore old sections, or build new areas around the castle grounds was still going on. This is why Ulfstead Castle's narrow gauge line connection to the Skarloey Railway was so important. Once a month, or usually whenever requested by the Earl, one of the Skarloey engines visits Ulfstead from Blue Mountain Quarry to deliver the needed slate.

Millie, the only resident narrow gauge resident of the castle, was always pleased for the company. She really never got out of the castle much, save for one instance where she worked temporarily for the Skarloey Railway at the quarry. Aside from that, she mostly did tours and was often found herself feeling very lonely. Oh, of course the daily visits from Connor and Caitlin helped, and Stephen and Glynn were good enough company, but often they'd be away for most hours of the day, and Millie was left to herself and grounds men.

This was why, whenever one of the Skarloey's engines would visit, she'd get all excited and keen to befriend them. By now she had at that point met every single one, but of all of them, Luke the small green engine, was her favourite, and for a long time this was how it had been, for two years.

One morning though in 2017, she was very excited, Luke was supposed to be coming today, with usual delivery of stone, and was keen to greet him at the entrance. "Bonjour Luke!" she whistled loudly, when the sound of another steam engine came into her ears. "I've been waiting for you…! I-… O-oh, R-Rheneas, bonjour Monsieur…" she finished lamely.

The red engine pulled up in front of her then, a confused look on his face. "Hey, Millie?" he asked, "When I heard that you heard me coming, why did you think I was Luke? Were you expecting him or something?"

Mille looked a little shocked by the inquiry, her face kind of blushing as a result. " _Oh mon_ … Erm, no particular reason, it's just that he usually is the engine who commonly brings these stone trains. I believe this is your first time here at Ulfstead Castle, no? Come, I'll show you around to where we keep the trucks and…"

"Err, no thanks," Rheneas replied curtly. "I really need to collect the empty wagons and fast. They need back on the line, what with Luke in for repairs and all that I-…"

" _Dites que ce n'est pas tellement…!_ Did something happen to him?!"

"Calm down! He's just in for a few days for a maintenance check, he'll be back in service by tomorrow. Anyways, about my trucks?"

Millie sighed, Rheneas was certainly by far not one of her favourite engines of the line to deal with. Ever since the whole ordeal when she and Luke swapped jobs for the day the lines no.2 engine was somewhat discourteous towards her.

"As I said before, your trucks are where these ones need to go."

"Oh, alright then, lead me to wherever I guess…"

Millie lead him round till eventually they arrived at the dinosaur park where some empty slate trucks were. Once he'd moved the loaded ones to where they were needed, he picked up the empties and went on his way. When he was out of sight, Millie sighed and went off to go help the grounds keeper…

"…She's… Weird," was all Rheneas had to grunt about when he was filling up on water at the sheds at Crovan's Gate later that afternoon, "Sure, she worked I suppose respectably hard when she was doing Luke's work, but she wasn't doing it to the same efficiency that he works to."

"Well, not all engines are as eager to finish their work as Luke," Rusty quipped.

"Indeed but still, I'll never understand her line of logic. And she acts as though Luke is like her pet or, or something-"

"Wait, did you say… Pet?!"

"-like an old grandmother awaiting her pet to come back to give her the chicken bone she gave him. And yes Rusty, I did say pet. Now then, good day, I have a train to take." And he steam off.

The next day Luke came back from the Steamworks, his new coat of paint gleaned in the sunshine and some of his new brass fittings made him look a handsome sight in the morning glow.

"It's good to have you back," Mr. Percival said when met with Luke at the sheds, "Of course we're expecting you to go immediately back to work, the others have been feeling quite rushed in light of your absence."

"Haha!" the green engine chuckled. "I bet a _lot_ of those complaints must've come from Duncan."

"I can hear ye, y'know?! Och aye… Utter muckle upstart tyke… Stupid cocky I'rish wee tiny little…"

Luke got back to work soon enough. He took coal trucks to the Lakeside station, and then took empties back. It was when he was going back to the Transfer Yard that he ran into Rheneas at a passing loop before Glennock with a passenger train. "Hello Rheneas!" he whistled. "How are things since I've been away?"

"Crazy, that's what. Apparently no one told Millie about your absence 'cause she apparently was expecting you to be the engine who did the daily run up to Ulfstead Castle yesterday."

"Oh really?" Luke asked, intrigued by that remark.

"Yes Luke, what sort of engine are you to her, huh?"

Luke blinked, taken aback by the red engines' statement. "Um… What?"

Rheneas sighed before continuing, "I don't know why, but she seemed to be really sure that you'd be the engine to go there, and was rather embarrassed when she mistook me for you."

"Oh, well, guess she's just so use to me doing the deliveries there. I often help her out from time to time; shunt the trucks for her…"

"Ah hah!" Rheneas suddenly exclaimed, "No wonder she prefers having you around. You do her work for her. No wonder I get a 'pet owner' vibe from her!"

"Oh… Wait, did she try to make you do the work when you were supposed to just drop the trucks off and collect the empties and be on your way?" Luke quizzed, not sure he liked where this was going.

"Hm… yeah, that was basically how it went."

"Oh… Oh dear, suppose I better talk to her then."

Just then Rheneas' guards whistle was heard, and Rheneas had to leave. "You better, and while you're at it, improve her social skills…!"

Luke didn't get a chance till two days later, it wasn't a truck run though. Every now and then special passenger excursions from Crovan's Gate go to Ulfstead Castle via the narrow gauge line. Most often this duty is handled by Duncan and Peter Sam. But today Luke had offered to take the train in their places.

He dropped the passengers gladly off, and left the coaches on the duel gauged platform, whistled kindly to Connor as the big engine headed out, and to Glynn who was passing by on his way to the dinosaur park.

"Ah, Luke!" Sir Robert gurgled as he walked towards the engine is question, "since you'll be waiting for a bit before the visitors finish their tour here. Why don't you go and help Millie move plants for the grounds keeper?"

"Certainly sir. I'll be right on my way."

Luke made his way around the castle grounds till he met Millie. To say the blue engine was happy to see her friend back. "Wow," she said when he came into view, " _Très agréable!_ Luke, your brass is magnifique, most suiting of a handsome engine like you."

Luke blushed at the compliment. "Heh, thanks," he said ruefully, "glad you like it. The men thought I could do with a bit of flair considering how dusty I was when I went in. But…" he trailed off, before looking more seriously at Millie. "…I heard… Not so nice things about you from a friend whilst I was out for a few days."

Millie looked shock! "Luke! What makes you think that?!"

"Rheneas told me about your 'expectations,' I know we're good friends, but that doesn't mean you should _always_ expect me to be around do you? I have other duties, and other trains to pull, and if one of the others were to break down I have an obligation to stand in their place."

Millie was pained by that. "B-but, you're always the engine who visits Ulfstead Castle, and without you, life here is soooo boring!"

"But there's Caitlin, Connor, and even the new arrival, Glynn! Aren't they company enough?"

Millie faltered then, not sure how to answer exactly. "Millie…" Luke cautiously began. "It's okay. You're surrounded by good friends. You don't need to rely solely on one friend."

"I guess…" she said, after a short pause. "I have been a silly engine, haven't I Luke? To think I only ever needed you… I guess, after the whole 'switch' incident… A-and before that, I was just bored, living my life as a private engine with only a small route to cover. And… I felt like only _you_ were the engine who was kind enough to let me travel beyond my usual boundaries. The Earl never did so… Not out of spite you understand, but only because I felt it would be… Selfish of me to impose a request like that… I… Thank you, Luke, for hearing me out. I-I should get back to work." And with that she began to move the trucks about on her own.

Luke felt sorry for his friend in that moment, and thought of a way to try and help her get out of the castle more often. He knew the men there needed her, but… Then, it hit him…

He was heading back to the station, it wouldn't be long before he'd have to take the day trip visitors back, but he wanted to see if he could catch the Earl for a moment. "E-excuse… Sir Robert?"

"Yes, Luke…?"

A week later, another day train to Ulfstead was due out. Duncan was grumbling about it dreadfully. Much to Luke, Skarloey, and Rusty's dismay at the sheds.

But, it came as a shock when his crew didn't prepare him for the morning train. "Aye… Wha's all dis aboot? I 'ave a special ta take, don' I?"

"No, Duncan, not today," Mr. Percival explained. "Instead, I need you to handle stone trains at the quarry instead. There's a big delivery to go to Brendam docks today, you'll be working with Thomas and… The visiting engine, Samson."

"Aye aye," replied Duncan, but he was still puzzled. "But… Peter Sam's got the same job today as I do? Who's lookin' after the tourists?"

It was then a sharp whistle blew, Duncan raised an eyebrow. "Well then, I guess that makes sense."

Sure enough, Millie entered into the yard, and smiled happily. " _Je vous remercie_ , Monsieur Percival. I cannot thank you enough sir, and the Earl for allowing me instead to collect the tourists instead of sitting around all day with nothing to do."

"Wha-…? Ye mean I no longer 'ave to take that train anymoor?" Duncan asked incredulously, but no one bothered with him.

"You are certainly welcome Millie," Mr. Percival smiled, "It's a wonder why for years now that me and the Earl never even thought of it before. And we can thank Luke for that suggestion."

"Heh, thank you, sir."

"And thank you, Luke," Millie said, giving a wink.

"You're welcome Millie, now you can stretch your wheels however long you want, and get out more and see all the sights and places along Our Line."

And that's exactly what Millie got, now in addition to helping around the Earl's estate and taking visitors on a tour around the castle grounds, Millie now runs the visitors trains to and from Crovan's Gate. And it was all done, thanks to her best friend Luke the Wren engine.


End file.
